Surfing the internet while attempting to study leads to all sorts of gems, and today, it happens to be Stuff White People Like. Don't get me wrong. Or, perhaps, if you're that shallow, do, but I am almost assured now that I am a white person. Heaven help us all.
I promise more birthday details later, although, alas, there were no photos taken. However, Lambrusco was imbibed, and it was good. :)
Castro is stepping down! I suppose I should have seen this coming ... so he's not dead after all!
My favorite quote from the Reuters article:
"Castro, 81, said in a statement to the country that he would not seek a new presidential term when the National Assembly meets on Feb. 24."
... I don't think there have been true elections in Cuba since Castro came to power. Oh well ... now we just get to deal with his brother, Raul, who is 76 to Fidel's 81. Wonder where he might be in 5 years? It's the last communist stronghold in the Western Hemisphere, but I've got to say, it's just not going to be the same without Fidel.
Oh, Pachelbel ...
Oh, and if you dig Rob and all of his craziness, find more of him at his website. :)
Whoa ... I won this contest over at I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS (which is a rockin' music blog, by the way), and I'm getting a copy of the soundtrack for the new Bob Dylan biopic, I'm Not There. Excuse the linking and all, but essentially, I won myself a CD of Dylan covers, and I'm thrilled. Dude ... I never win anything ... right?
Along with that, bare: the album is releasing tomorrow! (See previous posts.) Thrilled yet again. :) It's all well and good ... except I have no idea how much it costs.
And, to top it all off, I'm trying to work on a draft of a paper, to review tomorrow and to turn in on Thursday. I also have a test. So I'm going to see the professor. And I have to plan Bible Study, and I want to check up with people, and I need to study, and, Christ, it feels like there's just no time in the day for all the things I need to do.
Halloween's on Wednesday and I'm leading Bible Study. I have a test and a paper due the next day, so all work and no play makes Amy a dull girl ... but perhaps a smidge more successful. Wish me luck!
Well, I must apologize. I kept promising myself a blog entry, but it never emerged from my fingertips. I started a few, I think, but they just didn't materialize. I haven't blogged since school ended. For the record, I didn't fail any classes, but I know I could have done better. In face, for the record, too, I'm considering changing my major. It's not settled yet. On Monday, I'm taking the day off, and I'll be sorting out a few things, including a little bit of medical weirdness and the whole let's-go-talk-to-an-advisor-and-figure-this-out thing. That was a lot of hyphens.
In random, Fourth of July/Independence Day news, the 92nd Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest went on, and the winner was Joey Chestnut. (Does it blow anyone else's mind that there is an International Federation of Competitive Eating?) It makes me worry about the state of he world ... just a little bit. I mean, I am thoroughly entertained, but a little nagging part of me wonders how much of that food that these folks consume could feed others. Just a thought.
Additionally, in more intriguing and possibly infuriation news (that is admittedly a little old), Scooter Libby's sentence was commuted. We can only hope that this is the end of the road. I have the bare bones of this case, but beyond that, I don't feel like I can pass strong judgment. However, I feel like he seriously put lives in danger, and because of that, he got a punishment that the court thought was suitable for his crime. President Bush did not think so. This I have a hard time comprehending.
Otherwise, not much to report on the Amy-front, other than that I have been working around 80% at my office so far this summer. It's fun, and, though I don't think it's the kind of job I see myself in full-time in the future, it's worthwhile experience, and I appreciate all of my co-workers. In the fall, I'll be working a lot less, as I'll have bigger fish to fry (namely, trying to graduate in 1+ years.)
I'll try to keep updating. Oh, and I read Schindler's List. So good! I highly recommend it.
Timothy Daniel's new CD, Wonderment, is shipping now! I can't wait.
Right now, I just can't get enough of Spring Awakening. It seriously gives me chills.
Today, I'm taking a break from my unwritten paper. (I procrastinated far too much.) I just wanted to mention this one little thing. Questionably intelligent people. In this case, I find it funny. I mean, it's history after all. My "Crisis Areas in World Politics" class once discussed the value of history. It's indispensable, but it's also often misconstrued as justification for genocide. History is much touchier than we give it credit for.
We had our last class meeting on Tuesday, for that particular class, and I find that notable because a bunch of us got up and personally went up to shake our professor's hand. He's an amazing guy, and his stories most definitely need to be heard -- especially now.
On a lighter note, check out overheardinnewyork.com. The other sites just don't do it for me, but this one is downright hilarious.
That's it. I have to stop missing class. This is getting downright silly.
And you know what else is downright silly? There's a new pill out there, and its intention is to end periods. I just don't think that's natural! Sure, being a girl is a pain in a butt, but there are some things out there which I just don't think should be messed with that much. This is one of them.
I know, I can't believe I'm putting this after menstrual talk, but Apolo Anton Ohno won Dancing with the Stars, Season 4! I think he most definitely deserves it, and I know that it makes me entire family happy. See what happens when my family votes? Good things, people, good things.
Another unbelievable thing: this academic quarter is coming to an end. It's mind-blowing that it's 8th week, but I just want it to go faster. I don't want to say goodbye, but I'm tired of this already. I wish I could do well and we could just be through, because it's frustrating. My classes aren't bad or anything, but there's so much I'd rather do, I guess. On a class related note, my Poli Sci professor was feeling bad today and had to sit down. We were all worried about him, so we called the paramedics. It seemed like he was doing better afterwards, but he gave us a scare. The man is the product of history. Someone once told me that he's like Forrest Gump. He's seen everything: the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Holocaust, Communist China, Communist Russia, Imperial Japan. It's crazy. He's living history.
One of these days, I wonder what legacy I'll leave. I hope it's a good one. I hope people stick around and care. I hope I leave the world better than I came into it.
Poetry, apparently, is dangerous.
It's sad that the first conclusion we come to is the worst-case scenario. It's sad that we automatically assume that a person is up to no good, based on what they look like, not who they are. It's sad that we make such awful first impressions.
Anyway, I was talking with my friends about colorblindness. If a child can't recognize colors, the first assumption that a teacher reaches is that "the child is retarded." Colorblindness usually doesn't even enter into the picture. Perhaps we're as ignorant about children as we are about adults. Perhaps we need to slow down and think it through before we make accusations.
Just my little rant for now.
We're a strange folk, the teens and twentysomethings of today. Our lives are on display on the internet for all to see, and we are frankly unabashed about it. Personal information floats around like it means nothing, and we share a lot about ourselves with people who we don't know. Such is the fearlessness of this generation. At the same time, it makes us rather predictable, and when we reach middle age, perhaps there will be nothing left to tell. I would say more about this, but I find that two articles I've come across say it better than I could.
